Baking gingerbread houses is one of the most wholesome and fun holiday traditions. Whether you go all out with a homemade gingerbread house or use a kit, this Christmas activity is a surefire way to ring in the holiday season. Along with making your own gingerbread house, you can go see public Gingerbread house displays, which are often spectacular scenes and decorations made of gingerbread. Here are 7 of the most amazing gingerbread house displays in the Southwest.
1. Four Seasons Hotel- Austin, TX
The Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas has been making beautiful gingerbread creations for the past 16 years. The gingerbread display is part of a fundraising event for a local non-profit, and visitors can buy gingerbread houses to help the People's Community Clinic, which gives healthcare assistance to members of the community who need it. The beautiful gingerbread display will be in the hotel's lobby until December 28th.
2. The Broadmoor Resort & Hotel- Colorado Springs, CO
The Broadmoor is another hotel that has been going all out for the holiday season since the '60s, creating an entire gingerbread winter wonderland in the main mezzanine of the building. The pastry team makes a different display every year, from a chapel, to a race car, to a model of the hotel itself. This year, the display is a classic gingerbread house, themed "Home for the Holidays" and made with over 2,000 pounds of gingerbread ingredients and sweet treats.
3. Red Rock Casino- Las Vegas, NV
We don't typically associate Red Rock Casino with wholesome holiday traditions, but the casino turns into Santa's workshop this time of year! The team from the Bake Shop has made a gingerbread replica of the rest that stands a full five feet tall and 9 feet across. The gingerbread decoration is made with over 150 pounds of chocolate, along with lots of other confections like peppermint candy canes, marshmallows, royal icing and more. Along with this, there's a life-size gingerbread dollhouse with mini furniture for visitors on the younger side.
4. La Fonda on the Plaza- Santa Fe, NM
La Fonda on the Plaza is another Southwestern hotel that makes an incredible gingerbread creation every year. The gingerbread house is different every year, but it always features traditional New Mexican farolitos lights that decorate the hotel's walls throughout the holiday season. Who needs holiday decorations like wreaths and Christmas trees when you can see an intricate display made of candy and gingerbread?
5. Omni San Fransisco Hotel- San Fransisco, CA
For those heading through San Francisco during the holiday season, the Omni Hotel is the place to go to see a dazzling gingerbread display. This display comes from the annual Gingerbread House Competition, which home bakers and Christmas lovers can enter to win cash and prizes. The display begins on November 28th and will be up until January 22, and those who aren't hotel guests can view it anytime Monday through Thursday, or after 3 pm on Sunday.
6. Downtown- Logan, UT
Logan is about an hour and a half from Salt Lake City, and is full of Christmas spirit during the holiday season. The famous gingerbread display is part of a gingerbread house contest, and can be found downtown near other holiday decorations like a nativity scene and huge candy ornaments. Residents can vote on the an app to choose their favorite creation, and the top 6 will receive a prize of $100.
7. Prescott Resort & Conference Center- Prescott, AZ
Prescott is the official city of Christmas in Arizona, famous for their holiday spirit and for the annual gingerbread village display in the lobby of the Prescott Resort & Conference Center. Every holiday season, local business come together to make over 1,000 gingerbread houses, which are all placed into the gingerbread village. This holiday event will have mini gingerbread versions of everything you can imagine, from elementary schools to fire stations, and you'll see a cute little gingerbread man here and there as well. View this incredible display from November 27th to New Year's Day.
If this inspires you to make your own gingerbread house for the holidays, here's a gingerbread kit to get started!
